In a new report released today by Franchise Business Review, satisfaction among franchisees of food-related businesses in the United States was found to be more than 10% lower than the franchise industry as a whole. Over 2,500 franchisees representing nearly one hundred leading food franchise brands took part in the study.
Franchise Business Review surveys thousands of franchisees each year to determine their levels of satisfaction with their business. The firm publishes a Franchisee Satisfaction Index (FSI) to measure, track and compare franchisee satisfaction for individual companies and industry sectors. Franchise Business Review’s overall FSI benchmark for all franchise sectors is 68. The food franchise sector had an FSI rating of 61.
“Food is one of the most popular sectors in franchising – many people have a dream to own a restaurant, coffee shop or ice cream store,” says Eric Stites, Founder and President of Franchise Business Review. “Yet the realities of the food business are something quite different. It’s a tough, complicated business – which helps to explain why satisfaction among food franchisees is lower than any other industry sector of franchising.”
Stites though is quick to point out that while satisfaction may be lower in general in the food sector, some franchise companies truly stand out.
“The beauty of our research is that it helps to identify the great franchise companies out there that are doing things right,” continues Stites. El Pollo Loco, Culver’s, Bruegger’s Bagels, Cici’s Pizza, and Rita Water Ice were a few franchises Stites identified as having high franchisee satisfaction. Other franchise concepts included in this research range from full service restaurants to kiosks you find in airports and shopping malls.
“We were pleased, but not surprised, with the positive feedback we received from our franchisees in the recent Franchise Business Review Survey,” said Steve Carley, CEO and President of El Pollo Loco. “With the continued growth of our franchise system around the country, franchisee support and satisfaction remain a top priority. As consumers continue to embrace our brand in new markets across the nation, we can keep on growing, but it is building and maintaining solid relationships with our franchisees that fuels our collective success.”
Chris Elliot, an El Pollo Loco multi-unit franchisee in the Atlanta area, feels a high franchise approval rating translates into one thing. He said: “When franchisees are making money, they are happy.”
The 2007 Food Franchise Report as well as many other company and sector reports are available for free download on the Franchise Business Review company website at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com.
About Franchise Business Review
Franchise Business Review is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. The firm’s services include commissioned franchise research projects leveraging proprietary survey processes and software, as well as industry-wide studies of franchisee satisfaction open to all North American franchise companies. Franchise Business Review is headquartered in Kittery, Maine.
